More space for the SLF – new office and workshop building opened

WSL Director Beate Jessel is delighted: "To be able to open a new building is a privilege, especially when it's as successful as this one! It gives us much-needed room not only for our employees themselves but also so that they can fully develop their innovative ideas." The previous building was outdated in terms of energy efficiency and provided much less space. The SLF has been running increasingly short of this commodity in recent years. Its researchers' great success in securing projects, and the development by WSL – together with the Canton of Grisons, and with the support of ETH Zurich – of the Climate Change, Extremes and Natural Hazards in Alpine Regions Research Centre (CERC), which is integrated into the SLF, means that there are now around 180 people working at the institute (including visiting staff).

This is something that Marcus Caduff, President of the Canton of Grisons and guest of honour at the opening ceremony, very much welcomes. "Research is important for Grisons. It delivers insights that benefit us all and it creates valuable jobs. But Grisons is also important for research." By that he means not only financial support, but also the close ties of cooperation and the fascinating alpine phenomena that scientists can investigate here, right on their office doorstep. Michael Hengartner, President of the ETH Board, says: "Like the ETH Domain as a whole, the SLF, with its research on natural hazards, snow and the alpine environment, has long since left the proverbial ivory tower. It engages closely with all stakeholders working on these issues, whether in the federal government, the cantons or private companies." Smaller, decentralised locations like Davos are particularly valuable for connecting with society, he adds.